DATE:    12/6/99
CONTACT: Dr. Umit Yilmaz, (864) 656-7349
WRITER:  Bill Baker, (864) 656-3875

Clemson Students Present Landscape Design 
For Richland County Highway Project

     COLUMBIA -- A project to widen and improve Clemson Road and
its intersection with Two Notch Road in Richland County is
getting special help from 34 landscape architecture students at
Clemson.
     Under the supervision of Clemson professors Umit Yilmaz 
and Lolly Tai, the third- and fourth-year students have developed
an innovative design alternative for the project that recognizes
the northeast "gateway" of Columbia while integrating many
physical, environmental and aesthetic design issues.
     "The students devoted an entire semester to this service 
learning project," Yilmaz said. Over 100 drawings were produced.
     He added, "This project was a valuable learning experience
for the students. It was an excellent opportunity for them to
tackle a large-scale, complicated project. I think they did a
great job."
     The students' plan for Clemson Road, which runs through
Clemson University's Sandhill Research and Education Center,
incorporates sustainable approaches and addresses such concerns
as erosion control, wetland remediation and drought-resistant
planting.
     Special design features include:

     Plantings around the cloverleaf that will give travelers 
     views of a variety of plant types and seasonal foliage color.

     A curved treeline pattern along Clemson Road that is paired
     with wildflowers and other shrubs.

     Contrasting plantings to provide greater interest for the
     traveler.

     Retaining walls to alleviate the erosion of slopes.

     Special landscaped entrances to the Sandhill REC and other
     properties.

     At a recent showing of the completed design, the students
presented large-scale plans and sketches to illustrate their
ideas. A 75-page publication documents the entire design process.
A sixteen-foot model explains the design in three-dimensional
form. 
     South Carolina Department of Transportation officials said
the model will be available for them to transport to community
meetings as the project progresses.
     The project is the result of work by Clemson University, 
the state Department of Transportation and the project
contractor, C. Ray Miles of Lugoff.
                         END